Enslaved Issues Final "Diary Of Mad Men" Studio Report

Checking in from Solslottet Studio in Bergen, members of Norwegian progressive extreme metal band Enslaved today offers the last installment in the seven-part “Diary of Mad Men” series.

The studio series sheds insight into the band’s upcoming as-yet-untitled thirteenth studio album, set for an early 2015 release.

"Then it was time for me to do some howling, cursing, screaming and singing again,” contributes Enslaved bassist & vocalist Grutle Kjellson. “We moved a few meters from Duper to co-producer Iver Sandøy's own Solslottet Studios and rigged up what we usually do with a set of three microphones: A Shure SM 7B for growls and screams, a RFT CM-7151 (commonly known as 'The Leipzig bottle') for chants & whispering etc., and a Neumann UM-57 for clean vocals.

"We were fortunately lucky with the energy, atmosphere, and my vocal shape the first day, so we were able to lay down my vocal tracks for half of the songs the first day… that is, with the exception some dubbing I usually do on Herbrand [Larsen]'s vocals. It was also time to lay down some tracks with both the Moog Taurus pedals and with one of Enslaved's treasures that has been with us since 1991 (!): Ivar [Bjørnson]’s Roland SH-1. A great day at work and an ever-growing confidence that this album will destroy everything we have done prior to this.”

Keyboard player & clean vocalist Herbrand Larsen adds: “This album will be rawer and more direct… more in your face!”

Main recordings for the new album are taking place at Duper and Solslottet Studios in Bergen, Norway with additional recordings done at Conclave & Earshot Studios (presided over by Enslaved members Larsen and Ice Dale) and Ivar Bjørnson’s Peersonal Sound Studios.